Updated on: September 26, 2024
I personally think Proton VPN is excellent for torrenting. It allows torrenting on servers in 90+ countries, and it also has built-in support for port forwarding (this might boost P2P speeds). Plus, it has very fast download speeds, it’s really secure, and it’s easy to use.
It’s just a shame that its P2P support isn’t covered in-depth online. There are very few articles covering Proton VPN’s P2P support — and the few that do talk about it don’t provide enough relevant information to readers. And even Proton VPN’s website doesn’t provide enough information about its torrenting support. For example, it doesn’t say how many P2P server locations there are, and it doesn’t mention port forwarding.
So, I decided to write my own guide that covers everything about Proton VPN’s P2P support. I’ve been using this VPN regularly for the past 5+ years, and I have used it very often to download torrents. I discuss all the features that make Proton VPN excellent for torrenting, and I cover other relevant topics, like whether or not the free version supports torrenting.
5 Reasons Why Proton VPN Is Good for Torrenting
Proton VPN is an excellent VPN for torrenting — it has very good P2P support, it maintains very fast torrenting speeds, it provides high-end privacy and security for downloading torrents and browsing P2P sites, and it’s also very simple to use. I’ll cover each advantage more in-depth below:
1. It Provides Excellent Torrenting Support
Proton VPN only allows torrenting on dedicated P2P servers — but the P2P servers are located in 90+ countries, so it’s easy to torrent on nearby servers to get fast download speeds.
In addition, the provider supports port forwarding — this feature lets you connect to more peers when you torrent, which might increase your P2P speeds. I tried this out while torrenting, and it boosted my download speeds by about 10–15% on average, which is pretty good.
What’s more, port forwarding is built into Proton VPN’s Windows and Linux apps, so enabling the feature is extremely simple. You just need to locate it in the settings menu and turn it on with one click.
2. It Has Very Fast P2P Speeds
Proton VPN provides really fast download speeds for torrenting. This is mainly because it has P2P servers in so many countries (90+) and also because it lets you use the WireGuard protocol, which is very fast.
I tested the provider’s P2P speeds by downloading a 12.5 GB file while connected to multiple distant P2P servers. Overall, I was really happy with the download times, which I included in the table below:
Plus, I really like how Proton VPN comes with split-tunneling — this feature lets you choose which apps and IP addresses use Proton VPN and which ones don’t. You can use split-tunneling to only send traffic from your P2P app through the VPN, which could increase your download speeds.
Proton VPN also comes with VPN Accelerator, which is a unique feature that’s designed to increase VPN speeds on any Proton VPN server. I tried it out while downloading a few torrents, and it generally increased my P2P speeds by about 40-45%.
3. It Provides High-End Privacy for Torrenting
Proton VPN has a strict no-logs policy that doesn’t log your IP address and web traffic. In addition, its no-logs policy has been audited and also proven true in a legal case in 2019 — Proton VPN was asked to hand over user data, and the provider couldn’t comply with the request since it doesn’t store anything.
Plus, Proton VPN has a transparency report that it updates regularly. This report shows how the VPN receives legal requests for user data and how it doesn’t comply with them.
The provider is also headquartered in Switzerland. The country has very strong privacy laws, under which the VPN has no obligation to collect any type of user data. And all Proton VPN apps are open-source, so anyone can inspect the code to make sure there are no security risks for torrenting. Plus, all apps have passed independent security audits.
4. It’s Very Good for Securing P2P Traffic & Browsing
Proton VPN has a kill switch, which is an essential VPN security feature that shuts down all internet access if the VPN disconnects. This ensures your P2P traffic isn’t exposed while the VPN reconnects.
Plus, Proton VPN’s kill switch has a Permanent mode that won’t allow you to access the internet until you connect to Proton VPN. This kill switch mode is useful when you want to be 100% sure you don’t accidentally start torrenting without first securing your data with Proton VPN.
Proton VPN also protects you from IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. So, it prevents your real IP from being exposed when you access P2P sites, and it also prevents your internet service provider (ISP) from seeing what torrenting sites you access. I tested 15 of its P2P servers for leaks, and there were none.
Proton VPN also comes with a really good ad blocker (NetShield). This feature gets rid of ads on P2P sites, which is convenient. Plus, it blocks connections to shady P2P websites that might host malware.
5. It’s Very Easy to Use for Torrenting
Proton VPN has really intuitive apps that make it super easy to find and connect to the provider’s P2P servers. The P2P servers are all marked with an icon that has 2 arrows pointing in different ways.
In addition, I like how all settings and features in Proton VPN’s apps have quick, helpful explanations. Additionally, all P2P-relevant features are very simple to find — for example, the port forwarding option has a dedicated tab on the main connection screen.
Proton VPN’s Profiles feature is useful for torrenting, too — this tool allows you to create customized connection profiles that automate VPN connections. For example, you can create a P2P profile, name and color-code it, choose which protocol it uses, and select which P2P server it connects to (the fastest one, for instance).
Does Proton VPN’s Free Plan Allow Torrenting?
No, the provider doesn’t support P2P downloads on its free version. If you try to download P2P files while connected to Proton VPN’s free servers, your torrent download in the P2P app will stall. Also, you’ll see this pop-up message in the Proton VPN app:
If you want to use Proton VPN to download torrents, it’s best to just upgrade to the paid version, which starts at $3.59 / month and comes with a prorated 30-day refund policy. Plus, the paid version provides excellent torrenting support.
How to Use Proton VPN for Torrenting
1. Sign Up for Proton VPN
I recommend getting the longest plan, as it provides the best savings. Also, keep in mind that all plans come with a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Download & Install Proton VPN
After you create your account, sign into the account dashboard, and download the right VPN app for your device. After that, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to set up Proton VPN.
3. Launch Proton VPN & Enable Some Security Features
After opening the Proton VPN app, the first thing you should do is make sure that NetShield and the kill switch are turned on. NetShield will protect you from malicious ads on P2P sites and shady torrenting websites, and the kill switch will keep you safe from traffic leaks while torrenting.
4. Enable Port Forwarding
Next, turn on Proton VPN’s port forwarding feature. This will help boost your download speeds while torrenting.
I’d also like to mention this here — after you connect to Proton VPN, the app will provide you with a port number that you’ll need to copy-paste into your P2P app’s connection settings.
I unfortunately can’t provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up port forwarding in your P2P app. It’s best to google how to do that with your torrenting app, since the instructions vary based on which P2P client you’re using.
5. Connect to One of Proton VPN’s P2P Servers
After that, connect to a P2P server — it’s marked by an icon that shows two arrows pointing in different directions. I recommend connecting to the nearest P2P server to get the fastest download speeds.
6. Start Torrenting
And you’re done — you can now start downloading torrents while connected to Proton VPN.
How to Troubleshoot Proton VPN Torrenting Issues
- Use a different P2P server. Maybe the P2P server you’re connected to is experiencing connectivity issues. Try connecting to a different P2P server (ideally one near you) to see if that solves the problem.
- Change the VPN protocol. The protocol you’re using might be causing connectivity issues while torrenting, so just switch to a different one. If you’re on a restrictive network (like a school network), try using the Stealth protocol, as it’s intended to bypass network restrictions.
- Check the seeders and leechers. Make sure that the torrent you’re downloading has more seeders than leechers. Otherwise, your download speeds will be very slow, or they’ll stall.
- Make sure port forwarding is set up in your P2P client. Just enabling port forwarding inside the Proton VPN app isn’t enough to use this feature. You also need to add the port number provided to you by Proton VPN in your P2P app’s connection settings.
- Check your split-tunneling settings. Make sure that split-tunneling isn’t configured to exclude P2P apps and sites from the VPN tunnel — if it is set up that way, Proton VPN won’t encrypt your P2P traffic.
- Check your antivirus and firewall. Whitelist the Proton VPN app (and any P2P apps you use) in your antivirus and firewall settings so that they won’t interfere with them.
- Contact Proton VPN’s customer support. If none of the tips above work, I recommend reaching out to the provider’s support via live chat.
What’s the Best Proton VPN Alternative for Torrenting?
If you’re not convinced that Proton VPN is a good fit for you, I recommend trying Private Internet Access (PIA) instead, since it’s one of the best torrenting VPNs on the market.
Just like Proton VPN, it has excellent P2P support — it allows torrenting on servers in 91 countries, and it also has built-in support for port forwarding. And on top of that, it also has SOCKS5 proxy support. This means you can torrent via the provider’s SOCKS5 proxy server, which hides your IP address but doesn’t provide encryption. So, you get much faster download speeds than you would with a VPN connection.
Other than that, PIA comes with tons of other perks that are excellent for torrenting — it has very fast P2P speeds, it has an audited no-logs policy and open-source apps, it has a kill switch and full leak protection, it comes with a really good ad blocker, and it’s super easy to use.
Editors' Note: Private Internet Access and this site are in the same ownership group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Proton VPN allow torrenting?
Yes — the VPN has P2P servers in 90+ countries, so it’s very easy to torrent on a nearby VPN server and get fast download speeds. Plus, Proton VPN has built-in support for port forwarding, which could increase your P2P speeds. Proton VPN also provides other great perks for P2P users, such as high-end privacy and security and user-friendly apps.
Is Proton VPN safe for torrenting?
Yes, Proton VPN is excellent for protecting your torrenting activities. It provides very strong privacy via a strict and audited no-logs policy, open-source and audited apps, and a transparency report. Plus, it has strong security features for torrenting, including a customizable kill switch, full leak protection, and a very good ad blocker.
What happens if I torrent on a non-P2P Proton VPN server?
Proton VPN will redirect your traffic to the nearest P2P server. The provider decided to implement this traffic redirection mechanism since it’s more convenient than just stalling users’ P2P downloads. While I had no issues downloading torrents while connected to non-P2P servers, I still recommend connecting to a P2P server for the best results (they have an icon with two arrows pointing in different directions).
Can I torrent on Proton VPN’s free plan?
No, as the free version doesn’t allow torrenting. It’s best to upgrade to the provider’s paid plans, which are affordable and come with a prorated 30-day refund. The paid version provides access to tons of perks, including P2P servers in 90+ countries and port forwarding, which boosts download speeds.